Beosound GVA Variants: Setup possible without Google?

[T.W.G]

Hi,

as there are Beosound devices with and without Google Voice Assistant (GVA) I have a few questions:
– Do the GVA enabled variants have a web interface, too? On e.g. my non GVA Beosound 1 I can type the IP-adress in the browser and access every single setting comfortable on my PC. Is this possible on the GVA variants of Beosound 1, 2 etc., too?
– If there’s a web interface: Is there any way to setup the GVA variants without(!) Google Home app? Any way to skip the Google parts at setup?

My guess is, that I could access those platforms on the web interface and disable anything that has to do with Google and use the system like any other non GVA system. Is that possible?

I’ve searched on the net and found quite a big contra list regarding the GVA versions but no information about banning the Google things:
————————————————————————————————————————-
A few things you need to consider. With the Google Assistant version, if you mute the microphone you’ll have the Google Assistant LEDs permanently on in red.
Additionally, the Google Assistant version has some limits:

– it can’t distribute the line-in and Bluetooth inputs via Beolink (non-GA can)

– Bluetooth can’t be used if the product is not set-up in the Google Home app first

You also need to remember that B&O speakers can only stereo-pair to an exact same version, so for instance if you have a GA Level and you want to buy a second Level for stereo-pairing them, you’ll only be able to pair it with another Level with GA.
What’s the issue about that, you may think? Well, it’s the fact that B&O discontinued all GA built-in speakers. So now Balance, Level and Emerge are only manufactured in non-GA variant. Hence, sourcing a GA-enabled unit will become harder and harder as time goes by.

And to be clear: a GA version cannot be “converted” into a non-GA version, full stop.

TL;DR: unless Google Assistant is something you actually want as a feature, then I’d definitely spend some more to get the non-GA one.

————————————————————————————————————————-
source: https://www.reddit.com/r/BangandOlufsen/comments/171m36p/beosound_level_google_assistant_vs_non_google/

 

[Hiort]

T.W.G wrote:

Do the GVA enabled variants have a web interface, too? On e.g. my non GVA Beosound 1 I can type the IP-adress in the browser and access every single setting comfortable on my PC. Is this possible on the GVA variants of Beosound 1, 2 etc., too?

Yes

T.W.G wrote:

– If there’s a web interface: Is there any way to setup the GVA variants without(!) Google Home app? Any way to skip the Google parts at setup? My guess is, that I could access those platforms on the web interface and disable anything that has to do with Google and use the system like any other non GVA system. Is that possible? I’ve searched on the net and found quite a big contra list regarding the GVA versions but no information about banning the Google things.

I have a Beosound 1 GVA and I got tired of Google suddenly talking to me. I simply do a factory reset and set up using the B&O app. When prompted to go to Google Home, I simply skip that step. One effect is that the 4 “smart buttons” in the top of the BS1 is not lit up and consequently not used. Setup like that is works as if Google was not there at all.

[T.W.G]

Thank you, that helps!

And can you use your Beosound 1 GVA without Google talking or any voice prompts?
Can you pair Bluetooth devices via Bang & Olufsen app without the bad Google stuff?

[Hiort]

And can you use your Beosound 1 GVA without Google talking or any voice prompts?

Yep. Google is completely silent, apart from some very few occasions where it said something

Can you pair Bluetooth devices via Bang & Olufsen app without the bad Google stuff?

No, I cannot other than the Beoremote One. I have no use for Bluetooth since I use Airplay if I want to play form a device.

[T.W.G]

Thank you for clarification, again. 🙂

So for using Bluetooth from a mobile device I should be able to send it to another Bang & Olufsen NL device and can access it from there via B&O Multiroom.

[Hiort]

That is correct.

[Tim]

I had a BeoSound Level with GVA and the biggest problem was that without the Google Home setup I can’t use a BeoRemote one or any other Bluetooth device with it.

But the great B&O service changed it to a non GVA Version for me 😉

[T.W.G]

? There never was an Essence with GVA? Which device did you mean? 😉

And did they exchange the physical unit or did they just flash the software of a non GVA version to it?
Is that even possible to override the software vice versa? That would be another good way to get rid of that annoying Google stuff.

[Tim]

Sorry it was the BeoSound Level 😉

[Author]

Posts